Valley boxing great Gabe Terronez dies at 71

By Bryant-Jon Anteola / The Fresno Bee

Gabe Terronez, a Fresno native who rose from humble beginnings as a migrant farmworker to become one of the top welterweight fighters in the world, died Friday morning. He was 71.

A headline boxer and a popular local figure during the 1960s, Mr. Terronez became a role model in the Hispanic community after leaving his life as a Corcoran teenager who picked fruits and cotton up and down the central San Joaquin Valley to serve in the Marines and then fight professionally for seven years.

Mr. Terronez competed in the U.S. Olympic trials in 1960 and went 31-3 with 27 knockouts as an amateur before emerging as the No. 5 world-ranked welterweight with a 32-8 record and 19 knockouts as a pro. Mr. Terronez was inducted into the Fresno Athletic Hall of Fame in 2000.

"He was a special boxer, such a natural puncher," said Pat DiFuria Sr., who trained and managed Terronez. "For a 145-pounder, he was the strongest man I'd ever seen. And the fans loved him; his charisma.

"He was a slugger, and no matter what punch he'd hit you with, he was going to hurt you. Fresno never saw a fighter more exciting."

Among his top achievements in the ring, Mr. Terronez knocked out Charley "Tiger" Smith to win the state title and split a pair of fights against ranked Puerto Rican Jose Stable.

In 1965, Mr. Terronez lasted four rounds against welterweight champion Emil Griffith before losing in a non-title bout fought before thousands of fans at the Kearney Bowl in Fresno.

Mr. Terronez would get the crowd in the mood before his fights by walking toward the ring with Mariachi music playing during introductions.

His nicknames – "The Little Professor" and "Choir Boy" – were earned for maintaining a squeaky-clean image outside of the ring, going to school and singing in the church choir but boxing professionally to help pay for his tuition.

Mr. Terronez was the first in his family to earn a college degree after graduating from Fresno State.

"Being a Hispanic fighter, people in the community could relate to him and they started to look up to him," said Fresno City Council Member Sal Quintero, a longtime friend. "He was like them. He didn't have much money. And yet, he was doing great things."

Shortly after marrying the late Elizabeth Huerta, Mr. Terronez retired from boxing at 29 years old in 1969. He went on to work for California Gov. Ronald Reagan's office as a community relations consultant, then with the University of California Cooperative Extension and helped students of migrant upbringing find professional work.

Still, boxing remained in him. And Mr. Terronez would often bob and weave as if he still were fighting while sitting down and watching a match.

"You could never sneak up on my dad," said Stephanie Terronez, the boxer's oldest of five children. "His reflexes were always lightning fast, and his fist was cocked back whenever he caught you trying."

Mr. Terronez retired early from his professional career to attend to his ailing wife, who died in 1992 after a five-year fight with cancer. Elizabeth Huerta Terronez was the first Hispanic principal in Fresno. A middle school in the city's southeast side is named in honor of the late Bullard High principal.

During their 25 years of marriage, they attended numerous athletic high school events. In the years after her passing, Mr. Terronez found comfort listening to classical music and playing golf.

Mr. Terronez is survived by children Stephanie, Dante, Desiree, Damien and Nicole.

A memorial service is scheduled for 2 p.m. Friday at St John's Cathedral.